The latest print edition New Scientist (February 2007) has published a letter from Ralph Moss of www.cancerdecisions.com.
Although the author says that New Scientist has done “a great service in bringing this information and perspective to the public“, it is also critical of the article as being too easily misinterpreted by desperate members of the public. The letter says that the article’s headline: “Cheap, safe drug kills most cancers” implies incorrectly that DCA is known to destroy actual tumors in humans, and thus has “generated waves of unwarranted expectation among many patients“.
The letter also points out that DCA is a by-product of the water chlorination process and it has shown to be carcinogenic in rodent models and has had other toxic effects in other animals. The letter does not seem to discount the possibility that some therapeutic use for DCA may yet be developed, but points out that it is by no means yet certain that this will ever eventuate.
3 responses so far ↓
Robin Cormie // 28, February 2007 at 6:21 pm
Thank you for clarifying what dichloracetate is, when I read the letter, I thought it was is simply a “cheap, safe drug”.
Edward Hines // 20, July 2007 at 7:33 am
Please cite the studies that have
shown DCA to be carcinogenic in
rodent models and cause toxicity
in other animals. Also, at what dose
ranges were these studies done vs
those shown to inhibit cancer cells?
faceache // 20, July 2007 at 6:04 pm
Presumably Edward’s comments are intended for the writer of the letter published in the New Scientist or at the very least the publishers of the New Scientist.
The discerning reader will note that no claims are being made directly by the publisher of this blog. This post merely reports what has been published elsewhere. Any concerns should of course be followed up with the primary source.
Sheesh!
Like gas stations in rural Texas after 10 pm, comments are closed.